Margot Robbie is set to portray the remarkable life of Lilian Leitzel, one of the most iconic trapeze artists in history, in the upcoming Warner Bros biopic Queen of the Air. The movie is based on Dean N. Jensen’s book of the same name, which chronicles the rise and tragic end of the 1920s circus star.
The movie Queen of the Air is based on the book of the same name by Dean N. Jensen.
The film will tell the true story of Lillian Leitzel, a circus performer in 1920s and strong woman known for her popularity with audiences, and for her tempestuous love affair with famous fellow performer Alfredo Codona.
Margot Robbie will play tragic trapeze artist Lillian Leitzel in the biopic the Queen Of The Air
Margot Robbie performed some impressive aerial maneuvers more than once in her most recent outing a Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, which has caught the eye of casting directors.
Performing some impressive aerial maneuvers in her role as Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad.
Who Was Lilian Leitzel?
Aerialist Lillian Leitzel was born in 1892 in Germany – her circus performer mother, according to Jensen, was “two months short of her 13th birthday” – Leitzel grew up determined to be a trapeze star.
Aerialist Lillian Leitzel came from a family of performers. In 1905, she toured Europe as part of the Leamy Ladies Circus attraction. Leitzel (far left), her aunts Tina and Toni Pelikan, her mother Nellie Pelikan, and Lily Simpson. *Dean Jensen’s collection/Courtesy Crown Publishing Group
She moved to America in 1910, where she eventually became a top performer for the Ringling Brothers Circus.
Her passion and natural talent for winning over audiences, combined with her strong personality, ensured that the 4ft 9in performer went on to become known as the first “diva” of the circus.
Her signature trick was her one-arm plange. Where she spun over 100 times, requiring her to dislocate her shoulder on every turn.
“She would grasp with her right hand one of these rings, and she would throw her body out into space, doing these rotations, and her arm would actually dislocate from her shoulder“, Jensen said in a 2013 interview.
Lillian Leitzel
These performances would often take place 50 or 60 feet in the air, with no safety net.
Tragically – but perhaps unsurprisingly, given the dangers of her job – Leitzel died young, falling to her death during one of her routines in 1931.
The movie will center around her tragic and volatile love affair with fellow famed acrobat Alfredo Codona.
Lillian Leitzel
The handsome Italian-American was world famous, renowned for his triple somersault that had killed many performers before him.
The pair married in 1928, but it was cut short. Just three years later Leitzel plunged to her death during a show in Denmark when her rigging snapped.
Six years later the remarried Codona died in California in a murder-suicide. He shot his new wife dead in front of her mother before turning the gun on himself.
Doomed: Alfredo Codona (l) pictured with his third wife Vera Bruce, whom he would later shoot dead in a murder-suicide
So far, there is no director but American Sniper’s Andrew Lazar is producing.
The Legacy of Lilian Leitzel
Leitzel’s contributions to the world of aerial arts remain unparalleled. Her fearlessness, artistry, and charisma paved the way for future generations of performers. Her story is a testament to the passion and peril of circus life.
Margot Robbie’s portrayal in Queen of the Air will bring this legendary figure back into the spotlight, offering a glimpse into the life of a woman who lived—and tragically died—for her art.
View one of her performances on YouTube.
Sources dailymail.co.uk www.telegraph.co.uk
